Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Arena Packaging, a leading packaging, design, and pooling company in North America, to introduce Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for bananas. 

The groundbreaking invention aims to transform industry standards for the leading fruit in fresh produce, while significantly reducing food waste, carbon emissions, operational costs, and preserving the fruit's health.

With the introduction of RPCs, banana shipments now enjoy improved airflow and extended shelf life. RPCs are not only reusable but also trackable, with a remarkable life cycle of up to 15 years. Each container will be reused approximately five times in a single year, and if damaged, individual parts can be collected, replaced, and repurposed.

"Making produce more sustainable for consumers, from the farms to the shelves, has always been a top priority for Fresh Del Monte. By emphasizing the reuse of packaging materials, we aim to reduce our environmental footprint, while promoting a circular economy of plastics,” said Hans Sauter, Fresh Del Monte’s Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP of R&D.

Sauter added: “After years of collaborative work, this groundbreaking RPC design not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but addresses fruit quality and pallet shipping density, ensuring sustainable impact at every level of our supply chain.” 

For the past 60+ years, bananas have traditionally been shipped in single-use cardboard boxes, typically holding up to 40 pounds per box. These boxes are then transported to grocery stores, where bananas are air-stacked in the back room, a labor-intensive manual process that takes between 20 to 40 minutes to complete. 

Although cardboard is widely recyclable, developing options where packaging is reused is a first step in fighting climate change. Prior to that, bananas were shipped by the stalk hanging from hooks in cargo ships, which led to the bananas arriving at their destinations in poor condition. The implementation of the Banana RPC has also resulted in an overall healthier-looking fruit out on the shelf, with less handling throughout the supply chain.

Tony Arena, Founder and CEO of Arena Packaging, said, “Our collaboration with Fresh Del Monte Produce is set to redefine the entire process of packing, shipping, ripening, storing, and merchandising bananas. This marks a significant milestone in our shared mission to establish a more sustainable and circular packaging system.” 

Through this strategic collaboration and collective effort, Fresh Del Monte and Arena Packaging prove that businesses can achieve more when they work together.

The Banana RPCs arrived at retail stores in the South Texas region last month, offering consumers an eco-friendly and convenient way to enjoy their favorite fruit.

To learn more about Fresh Del Monte’s sustainability efforts, visit freshdelmonte.com/our-approach.